At a small service in a parking lot Sunday, FCC Pastor Milton West spoke to and shared communion with worshipers. In an interview with Fox News, he advises people not to “overinterpret a situation like this” or to “attribute a disaster and loss to God.” Instead, he says, people should “find the higher ground” and “look for ways to grow rather than be defeated.”
As for the disaster’s timing, just two weeks before Christmas, West notes that Jesus was born “at a time of great turmoil, and out of that turmoil, we received the foundation of our Christian faith.” Through the rebuilding process, the pastor says, the legacy of faith and the body of Christ will remain.
Ways to Help Tornado Victims
Churches in other states also report significant tornado damage. On Facebook Live, Pastor Greg Locke describes the damage to facilities at Global Vision Bible Church in Mt. Joliet, Tennessee. A large tent’s heavy canvas fell, ripping screens and destroying a stage, speakers, lighting, and instruments. “We have a pretty massive financial loss at this point,” Locke says, requesting assistance and donations. But “we’re going to trust God in all this.”
Samaritan’s Purse has deployed three Disaster Response Units to the area. It is accepting monetary donations, as are many other relief groups, denominations, and charities. Lists of ways to help are available online.
The outpouring of love is already making a huge difference, according to Mayfield residents. Tommy Anderson tells WLKY News that people have been offering their RVs for shelter. He describes consoling his wife, who’d been crying. “But then she started reading Facebook and the offers, and that’s when I started crying, seeing the love of Jesus just pour out of people.”
